Ticket printer and register.



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Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

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O. A. BROWN. TICKET PRINTER AND REGISTER. APPLIOATION FILED m. 14, 1908.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

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TICKET PRINTER AND REGISTER. APPLICATION FILED 116v. 14, '1908.

Pateflted Feb.14,1911.'

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O'RRA A. BROWN, F VVICHIIA, KANSAS.

TICKET PRINTER, AND REGISTER.

Application filed November 14-, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Onnx A. Brown, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ticket Printers andRegisters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanism for printing, severing anddelivering tickets from a single continuous roll of cardboard or similarstock, each ticket being printed, severed and delivered through a singleactuation of an operating handle or lever; and in the most complete andpreferred form of the invention as hereinafter described andshown in thedrawings, the mechanism also includes a means for dating each ticket andfor registering the total number of tickets issued by the device. Themechanism, which is of the same general character and designed for thesame purpose as that disclosed in my prior Patent o. 891,521, grantedJune 23, 1908, em-

bodies certain in'iprovements upon the general mechanical features ofthe device of said patent which render the mechanism inoresiniplefreliable and complete in its functions.

In its main features the mechanism of the presentinvontion comprisesmeans for feeding forward a strip of cardboard or paper constituting thestock from which the tickets are cut from a reel between a printingcylinder and a superposed pressure cylinder, which cylinders alsoconstitute feed rolls for the strip, a platen in advance of said feedrolls which supports the strip in a position favorable for theapplication thereto of a dating stamp, a knife which shears off thetickets successively from the end of the strip, and a register mechanismwhich registers the total number of tickets printed and delivered. Otherancillary features which are of importance in rendering the mechanismproof against fraudulent manipulation consist of a mechanism whichprevents anything less than a full actuation of the operating handle orlever, and mechanism which insures the actuation of the registersimultaneously with the printing of each successive ticket.

Hy invention will be readily understood when considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawings which illustrate Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Feb. 1st, 1911.

Serial No. 462,697.

one practical embodiment thereof, and in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the appatus in horizontal section throughits containing box or casing. Figs. 2 and 8 are longitudinal verticalsections through the apparatus and its containing box or casing viewedfrom opposite sides, each of said figures omitting some parts for thesake of greater clearness.

Referring to the drawings, 5 indicates the body of a containing box orcasing of rectangular form, the same having preferably a rear closure 6hinged along its bottom edge, and a front door or closure 7 hinged onone side thereof. On either side of the floor of the box are a pair ofparallel strips 8 which constitute guides for the bottom of the metallicframe or casing of the mechanism. Secured to the floor of the box nearthe rear thereof is a bent stop 9, which limits at 'one end the positionof the machine frame in the box at the same time that it holds said enddown to the floor of the box. Near the forward end of the box is a strip10 pivoted at 11 to the upper face of one of the guide-strips 8, saidstrip 10 swinging in a horizontal plane to permit the removal of.

the machine from the case or to confine the machine in the case throughengagement of its other end with a spring foot- 12 on the machine frameand a bent stop 13 (Fig. 1) similar in all respects to the stop 9.

Referring now to the construction of the machine proper, 1d designatesas an entirety the generally rectangular frame having solid parallelside walls, which walls are of less height near the forward end of theframe and support a transverse platen 15 secured thereto byangle-brackets 16. In open bearings 17 on the rear end of the frame isjournaled a reel 18 on which is wound a strip of paper, cardboard, orany other suitable ticket stock indicated at 19. In an intermediatetransverse vertical partition 20 is rigidly mounted a flat sheet metalguide 21 for the strip, which guide delivers the strip into the nip of apair of rolls the lower of which, designated by 22, is mounted on ashaft 22 and is a rotatable printing cylinder having applied to itsperipheral surface any suitable number of rubber, electrotype, or otherform of type 23, while the upper roll, designated by 24:, constitutes apressure roll being mounted in and between the free ends of a pair ofarms 25 which latter are in turn pivoted to the side walls of the frameand are normally drawn down by coil springs 26. It will thus be seenthat the rolls 22 and 2st have not only a printing function, but theyalso constitute feed rolls to advance the strip through the machine, aswill be hereinafter more clearly brought out.

Above the platen 15 is mounted a hollow flat sheet metal guide 27 thatreceives the strip from the rolls 22 and 24f and guides it out throughthe forward end of the ma chine. Detachably secured to the top of theguide 27 as by suitable spring clips indicated at 28 is an ordinaryvertically reciprocable dating stamp 29, herein indicated as of thatwell known type carrying manually adjustable type ribbons or bands, theprinting faces of which are reciprocable between an inking pad on theunder side of the top of the frame and the bottom of the frame, the typeoperating on the paper strip through an aperture 30 in the guide 27. Onand parallel with the forward edge of the platen 15 is a stationaryshear blade 31, to one end of which is hinged at 32 (Fig. 1) a swingingshear blade 33 that is normally urged upwardly by a torsion spring 3stembracing a fixed stud 35 on the hinged end of the blade, the ends ofsaid spring bearing respectively on the top of the fixed blade 31 andbeneath a pin 36 'on the hinged blade.

To the inner side of the front door 7 of the box is secured a dischargetrough 37 that guides the sever d ticketout through a discharge aperture38 in the door onto a hinged inclined delivery platform 39.

4:0 designates an inking roll for the printing cylinder 22, said roll.being journaled in and between the free ends of a pair of arms llpivoted at 42 to the side walls of the frame and normally urged towardthe printing cylinder by springs 4C3.

Referring next to the means for manually actuating the printing cylinder2 whereby both the forward feed and the printing of the strip isaccomplished, 44 designates a shaft journaled in and between the sidewalls of the frame near their upper edges, the eX tremiti-es of saidshaft being in line with holes formed through the opposite side walls ofthe outer case, and having cross pins 46 cotiperating with a hollowcylindrical key 4:? removably telescoping either end of the shaft andcarrying an arm 48 and operating handle 4:9. Keyed on the shaft it justinside one of the side walls of the frame is an arm 50 carrying on itsfree end a roller 51 that engages the upper edge of an arm 52 that ispivoted at its rear end at 53 to the side wall of the frame and extendsforwardly over the free end of the hinged shear blade 33, its forwardend being inwardly offset to engage said shear blade, as

shown in Fig. 1 and preferably provided with a suitably disposed metalwear-piece 5%, said arm being guided and confined laterally by a keeperstrip 52 secured to the inner face of one of the side walls of theframe. The arm 52 is normally urged upwardly by a pair of tensionsprings 55 that are anchored to a pair of studs 56 in the side wall ofthe frame and at. their lower ends are attached to a toe 57 of adepending arm 58 of the main arm 52.

Connected to the arm 52 is a depending link 59, the lower end of whichis pivotally attached to a plate 60 that is rotatably mounted on theshaft 22 of the printing cylinder, fast on which shaft, on oppositesides of said plate, respectively, are oppositely facing ratchet disks(31 and 62. The plate (30 carries a spring-pressed pawl 63 engaging theratchet-disk 61 and actuating the printing cylinder on each risingmovement of the arm 52; while a spring-pressed detent 6i similarlyengages the ratchet disk 62 to prevent overtlnhow of the printingcylinder. The detent (Si is raised so as to be out of the way when thecylinder is actuated by a cam surface 60 on the plate 60 engag ing a pin65 carried by the detent, and is held out of engagement during suchmovement by a circular raised peripheral por tion 60 of the plate 60.

Secured to and externally of one side wall of the frame is an ordinaryregister indicated at 66 (Fig. 1), the indicating face of which isvisible through an opening 67 formed in the side wall of the outercasing. The shaft of this register has an actuating arm 8 that extendsthrough a slot (39 (Fig. 2) in the side wallof the frame andis connectedby a link 70 to the free end of a lever 71 that i is pivoted at T2 tothe side wall of the frame and carries a laterally projecting stud 73that lies across the path of a star wheel 74: fast on the shaft 22, saidlever 71 being normally urged upwardly by a spring 75. The lever 71 isformed with a tail-piece 76 carrying on its end an inwardly projectingpin 77 overlying the star wheel, the function of the latter being toprevent any possible actuation of the printing cylinder without acorresponding actuation of the register by holding down the lever 71,which action would carry the pin 77 into the path of the star wheel andthus preventsuch possible fraudulent manipulation of the device.

As a means for actuating the dating stamp simultaneously with theactuation of the cutter, I secure to the inner side of the arm 52 alaterally projecting arm 78, the free end of which overlies thereciprocating yoke of the stamp and is preferablyprovided with anadjustable contact device which may consist of an ordinary screw 79 forengagement with the latter.

In order to insure a complete and full actuation of the mechanism ateach stroke of the operating arm, I provide a pawl and ratchetmechanism, as follows: 80 designates a vertical ratchet that is securedto the vertical forward edge of one of the side walls of the frame, withwhich cooperates a pawl 81 that is pivoted to the outer side of the arm52, this pawl having a tail 81 to which is secured a controlling spring82, which keeps the nose of the pawl normally pointed toward theratchet, *and the length of the pawl from its pivot to its nose is such,relatively to the distance from the pivot of the pawl to the teeth ofthe ratchet that, when said pawl is engaging the ratchet it is tilted orinclined; that is, its nose is either above or below a straight lineconnecting the pivot of the pawl with the pivot 53 of the arm carryingthe pawl. From this it follows that when the arm 52 is depressed, thepawl, tilted in a direction the reverse of that shown in Fig. 3, ridesidly over the ratchet S0, and any upward or return movement of the armbefore the pawl has completed its travel results in a dogging action ofthe pawl with the ratchet. When. however, the nose of the pawl haspassed off the lower end of the ratchet, the arm 52 may rise freely, thepawl returning idly over the ratchet in the tilted position shown inFig. 3.

In order to permit the insertion or extraction of the strip of paperwithout setting the machine in motion or disturbing the printing roll,when priming the machine, I provide a simple device for manually raisingthe upper or pressure roll 24, the same consisting of a bail 83 thesides of which are pivoted at 84: to the side walls of the frame. thefree ends of the bail underlying the journals of the roll 2a. To thebail is attached. a tail-piece 85 the rear curved end 85 of whichprojects beyond the rear of the frame and constitutes a handle which maybe depressed by the thumb or finger of the operator so as to actuate thebail and thereby slightly raise the roll at sufficiently to permit theinsertion of the paper without actuation of the registering mechanism.

The operation of the machine has to a considerable extent been explainedin connection with the description of its various parts. Assuming thatthe machine has been primed by the insertion of the strip as shown inthe drawings, the movement of the handle .49 in one direction actuatesthe arm 52 downwardly which applies the dating stamp and simultaneouslycuts off a previously printed and dated ticket, this latter fallingthrough the chute 37' onto the delivery plate 39. The return movement ofthe arm 52 under the impluse of the springs 55 actuates the printingcylinder and register mechanism, at the same time feeding the stripforward a distace equal to the width of one ticket, and restoring thehandle to starting position. The cam-controlled detent pawl preventsoverthrow of the printing cylinder, while the tail-piece 7 6 and pin 77of the register-actuating lever prevents actuation of the printingcylinder without corresponding actuation of the register, and the pawl81 automatically prevents the return movement of the arm 52 until afterit has been fully actuated.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the mechanism asshown and described might be considerably varied in respect to detailswithout involving any departure from the principles involved orsacrificing any of the benefits of the invention. Hence I do not limitthe latter to the precise mechanism shown, except to the eX- tentclearly indicated in specific claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of aframe, a reel mounted therein, a printing cylinder and pressure-rolladapted to feed between them a paper strip from said reel, a platen ontowhich said strip is fed from said printing cylinder, a verticallyreciprocable datingstamp mounted on said platen, a fixed shearblade onthe forward edge of said platen, a hinged shear-blade cooperatingtherewith, an operating handle, operating connections between the latterand said hinged shearblade and said stamp, and spring-actuated mechanismtensioned by said operating handle for turning said printing cylinderand feeding forward said strip immediately after each actuation of saidhandle, substantially as described.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of aframe, a reel mounted therein, a printing cylinder and pressure-rolladapted to feed between them a paper strip from said. reel, a fixedshearblade in advance of said printing cylinder, a hinged shear-bladecooperating therewith, a spring normally tending to raise the latter, apivoted arm overlying said hinged shear-blade, a spring normally tendingto raise said arm, connections between said arm and said printingcylinder operating to turn the latter when the arm is raised, and ahandle for depressing said arm, substantially as described.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of aframe, a reel mounted therein, a printing cylinder and pressure-rolladapted to feed between them a paper strip from said reel, a platen ontowhich said strip is fed from said printing cylinder, a verticallyreciprocable dating stamp mounted on said platen, a fixed shearblade onthe forward edge of said platen, a hinged shear-blade cooperatingtherewith, a spring normally tending to raise'the latter,

a pivoted arm overlying said hinged shearblade and stamp, a springnormally tending to raise said arm, connections between said arm andsaid printing cylinder operating to turn the latter when the arm israised, and a handle for depressing said arm, substantially asdescribed.

4:. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of aframe, a reel mounted therein, a printing cylinder and pressure-rolladapted to feed between them a paper strip from said reel, a fixedshearblade in advance of said printing cylinder, a hinged shear-bladecooperating therewith, a pivoted shear-blade-actuating arm, a springnormally tending to raise the latter, an oscillatory handle fordepressing said arm, and means for preventing the upward or return swingof said arm until after it has been fully depressed, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of aframe, a reel mounted therein, a printing cylinder and pressure-rolladapted to feed between them a paper strip from said reel, a fixedshearblade in advance of said printing cylinder, a hinged shear-bladecooperating therewith, a pivoted shear-blade-actuating arm, a springnormally tending to raise the latter, an oscil latory handle fordepressing said arm, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for preventing theupward or return swing of said arm until after it has been fullydepressed, substantially as described.

6. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of aframe, a reel mounted therein, a printing cylinder and pressure-rolladapted to feed between them a paper strip from said reel, shear mechanism in advance of said printing cylinder, a shear blade actuating armpivoted at one end on said frame, a spring normally tending to raisesaid arm, a handle for depressing said arm, a ratchetbar secured on saidframe, and a spring-actuated pawl mounted on said arm and cooperatingwith said ratchet-bar to prevent the upward or return movement of saidarm until after it has been fully depressed, substantially as described.

7. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination of aframe, a print ing cylinder and pressure roll mounted in said frame andadapted to feed between them a strip to be printed, a shear mechanismhaving a pivoted shear-blade mounted in advance of said printingcylinder, a shearblade actuating arm pivoted at one end on said frame,a. spring normally tending to raise said arm, a rock-shaft mounted insaid frame, and an arm fast on said rock-shaft and engaging saidshear-blade actuating arm to effect the working stroke of the latter,substantially as described.

8. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of aframe, a reel mounted therein, a printing cylinder and pressure-rolladapted to feed between them a paper strip from said reel, ashear-mechanism having apivoted shearblade mounted in advance of saidprinting cylinder, a vertically reciprocable dating-stamp mountedbetween said printing cylinder and said shear-mechanism, an arm pix otedat one end on said frame and adapted on its downward movement to actuatesaid shear-blade and dating-stamp, a spring normally tending to raisesaid arm, a rock-shaft mounted in said frame, and an arm fast on saidrock-shaft and engaging said first named arm to effect a depression ofthe latter, substantially as described.

9. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of aframe, a reel mounted therein, a printing cylinder and pressure rolladapted to feed between them a paper strip from said reel, a registermounted on said frame, means for actuating said printing cylinder, anactuating arm for said register, a star wheel on the shaft of saidprinting cylinder, a lever actuated by said star wheel and connected tosaid actuating arm of the register, and a device carried by said leveradapted to cooperate with said star wheel to prevent the rotation ofsaid printing cylinder independently of the actuation of the register,substantially as described.

ORR-A A. BROIVN.

Vitnesses:

FREDERICK C. GoonwIN, JAMES R. OrrrnLD.

